State Cuts Mean Dramatic Change For Special Needs

[Guest guest]

--- Kim Hammons wrote:

> State Cuts Mean Dramatic Change For Special Needs

> Posted By:  Meenan     16 hrs ago

> JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Hundreds of special needs men,

> women and children on the First Coast are facing

> cuts in services as a result of budget shortfalls

> from Tallahassee.

> " People that are autistic. People that have cerebral

> palsy. People that might have some level of mental

> retardation, " said ville Area Legal Aid

> Senior Staff Attorney Sullivan.

> Sullivan is among a handful of local lawyers making

> appeals to the State Agency for Persons with

> Disabilities on behalf of those affected, and their

> families.

> le Dowe is a special needs child with a very

> special Mom.

> " My daughter is 23-years old. She's profoundly

> mentally and physically handicapped, " said Sharon

> Dowe.

> " She basically functions at a 6-month level. She has

> life threatening seizures, which are grand mal

> seizures. "

> But the State legislature just slashed funding for

> le and hundreds of other special needs men,

> women and children. The cuts are expected to take

> place in October.

> " So these are people that are our most fragile

> people in the state and they are going to lose some

> of their services, " said Sullivan. Jim Whittakar is

> executive director of The Arc ville, which is

> facing dramatic cuts in the ability to service its

> 400-plus daily clients.

> " And that's what we're struggling with now. Is

> actually what service they can reduce and live

> without, " said Whittaker.

> " But it will impact like 60% of the people. "

> And if the cuts are made next month? Hundreds of

> Special Needs clients and families like the Dowes

> would be affected.

> " What that would mean is that I would have to

> relinquish care of her (le) in my home and

> place her in a group home, " said Sharon Dowe.

> Which is why Dowe and legal services have filed an

> appeal with the state.

> " There's a huge need. We can't do it all ourselves, "

> said Sullivan.

> And legal services is making an appeal for more

> attorneys to volunteer, or do 'pro-bono' work to

> help fight for the les throughout the First

> Coast. While the legal service wouldn't pay cash,

> Sullivan says there are other rewards, touching the

> heart.

> " At the end of the day you're going to help somebody

> from being institutionalized! "

> Which is why after 23-years of love and sacrifice,

> Sharon Dowe is one Mom who isn't about to back down.

>

> " If I don't speak for le, who does? " First 

>  Kim Hammons

> IPUT Informed Parents United Together

> Tampa, Florida

>

> www.iput.org

> www.yahoogroups.com Keyword: " IPUT "

>

>

>